Modern automobiles utilize one or more pumps to transport fuel from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine. Typically, the fuel system has either a pressure, or push, pump located within the fuel tank (e.g., as in many gasoline-fueled automobiles) or a suction pump located near the engine to provide the fuel (e.g., as in many diesel-fueled automobiles).
A disadvantage of conventional pressure pumps used to transport the fuel from within the fuel tank is that they require additional power to be supplied from the automobile's electrical system. Suction pumps, however, are often powered via mechanically coupling to the internal combustion engine. Nevertheless, suction pumps must often be primed after the internal combustion engine is shut-off and/or runs out of fuel and at times may not provide a desirable amount of fuel to the high pressure pumps that are used to send the fuel to the fuel injectors, thus having a detrimental effect on performance.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a fuel system and method of providing fuel to an internal combustion engine in such a way that overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.